This article is published as part of MUN Spotlight, a special series dedicated to Model UNs from around the globe. The aim of this series is to introduce MUNs and their organizers to our MUNPlanet audience and beyond. Today we're taking you to Istanbul, the city where Europe meets Asia and home to IIMUN 2016!

I’m Eda Sansel Üstün and I will be serving as the Secretary-General of IIMUN ‘16. I am absolutely looking forward to hosting all participants in IIMUN 2016. What thrills me most about this conference is that it will be a great experience for all the participants to improve themselves through their interests and while doing that they will have an amazing opportunity to meet people all around the globe at this international platform. Since IIMUN is a conference that ensures an enthusiastic approach to the MUN process, participants will surely benefit from this experience in terms of perceiving world issues and finding permanent solutions to them.

MUNPlanet: The first edition of IIMUN was in 2012 and since then conference has only grown. What are your expectations from this year?

We have been providing this opportunity for participants from all around the world since 2012. We hope to keep that in our conference and boost the quality of the debates and resolutions. We expect our conference to include concepts generated by various perspectives this year. This will provide a more versatile vision to our conference so that the participants can get the most of it.

MUNPlanet: IIMUN takes place at SDKM (Süleyman Demirel Cultural Center), which is located on ITU Ayazaga Campus. Tell as more about the venue and some interesting story about the campus.

It is located on the beautiful eco-friendly campus of Istanbul Technical University, one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Turkey. Besides being surrounded by a luscious green environment, our participants will have a chance to take a closer look at university life in Turkey.

MUNPlanet: IIMUN 2016 is going to host approximately 400 delegates. By our standards, that is a large conference. How many committees will you be simulating and do you have your favorites?

We will be simulating 4 General Assembly committees and 4 Specialized Agencies. Personally, two of my favorite committees are International Court of Justice and the Special Committee, which will be based on the TV series “Doctor Who”.

MUNPlanet: What values does IIMUN strive to embody?

IIMUN strives to embody global awareness, unite diverse visions and come up solutions for the major problems of the today’s world. We give the participants a chance to be heard by others, merge their resolutions regarding the world agenda and debate them altogether to come to a conclusion. IIMUN not only provides the infrastructure for the participants to create solutions, but also urges and encourages all participants to increase the applicability of these solutions and take necessary actions.

MUNPlanet: IIMUN is the conference with truly international character considering that delegates come from all around the world. In your opinion, how big of a role does the international character play in a quality of a certain conference?

It provides participants an opportunity to perceive the issues from a different perspective as well as assisting them to see how in the end, we all are more alike than different. It’s never completely possible to leave who you are when you are representing a different country so that’s why it is so special to find someone who is actually from the country you represent. Learning beyond research is the best possible outcome we could ever hope for at IIMUN.

MUNPlanet: Similar to the previous question, what are others characteristics that make one MUN conference great?

We believe that having the right team and the spirit are the building blocks of an MUN conference. But of course all of that would be for nothing if there wasn’t anyone to participate. Without enthusiasm, nobody would feel the sincerity of the work. So, it is an essential point to feel that delegates are excited about what you are working on. Our dedicated Executive Team members are formed from a group of exactly those kind of people.

MUNPlanet: Preparation is the key for having the best MUN experience. Having the first-timers in mind, how do you help them prepare and get most out of experience?

We are all aware that the beginning of everything is a little difficult and sometimes it can be nerve wracking especially in MUN. We can fully understand what that feels like so we encourage the first timers to believe in themselves and feel free to express their opinions by participating in debates. We, as Team IIMUN, provide an accepting atmosphere for them where they won’t feel intimidated but instead, feel supported and encouraged to participate even if they make mistakes.

MUNPlanet: MUN is, without a doubt, a very good addition to every student’s formal education. What are, in your opinion, the most significant skills that can be gained this way?

In an MUN conference, you get to learn how to be more confident on stage while talking to a crowd and to hone your interests as you gain more experience. Last but not the least, you become more aware of the world you are currently living in which builds empathy, the cornerstone of progress.

MUNPlanet: How do you see the future of MUNs? How do you see Model UNs developing in the years to come?I think they are educating high school students who will be the future leaders of this world in a way that makes them consider every field. Every year, MUN conferences get bigger and bigger and students from all around the world get to be more mature for at least a few days and they see how to make big plans and be more serious. So MUNs are the tools for our future and the better they are, the better future we’ll have. Many see creativity as an important tool for progress, so we think that more conferences will begin to integrate fantasy or special committees into their committee line-up.

MUNPlanet: How do you see new technologies, especially online communities such as MUNPlanet, changing Model United Nations landscape in the coming years?

There should definitely be more of those types of conferences because it’s easier for MUN conferences to reach loads of people from all around the world. Many of the conferences today have become so expensive to attend that it definitely excludes a large number of participants. Online conferences eliminate this expense and allows them to be more inclusive. Only when we hear from everyone can we create unity and make the world a better place. Additionally, technology allows us to make more connections out of the days we spend at Model UN conferences. So, online communities such as MUNPlanet are great tools for having international conferences and reaching out to more people worldwide.

MUNPlanet: Tell us, in short, what is one impression that you would like your delegates leave the conference with?

If delegates leave IIMUN with greater awareness of what’s happening in the world outside of own bubbles, our conference would then be considered a success.

MUNPlanet: Any final remarks?

We hope every participant will feel how much we want their experience to be one that they’ll remember forever. We do everything possible to make their journey at IIMUN a great one. We may not be perfect, but we care about each and every delegate and we go over every detail so we don’t miss anything. We want to create memories that they’ll carry with them always.

MUNPlanet: Thank you for devoting your time to MUN Spotlight and telling us more about you and your MUN. MUNPlanet is looking forward to your conference and strongly advises all MUNers to check it out. Good luck on your conference!

This article is published as part of MUN Spotlight, a special series dedicated to Model UNs from around the globe. The aim of this series is to introduce MUNs and their organizers to our MUNPlanet audience and beyond. Today we're taking you to Istanbul, the city where Europe meets Asia and home to IIMUN 2016!

I’m Eda Sansel Üstün and I will be serving as the Secretary-General of IIMUN ‘16. I am absolutely looking forward to hosting all participants in IIMUN 2016. What thrills me most about this conference is that it will be a great experience for all the participants to improve themselves through their interests and while doing that they will have an amazing opportunity to meet people all around the globe at this international platform. Since IIMUN is a conference that ensures an enthusiastic approach to the MUN process, participants will surely benefit from this experience in terms of perceiving world issues and finding permanent solutions to them.

MUNPlanet: The first edition of IIMUN was in 2012 and since then conference has only grown. What are your expectations from this year?

We have been providing this opportunity for participants from all around the world since 2012. We hope to keep that in our conference and boost the quality of the debates and resolutions. We expect our conference to include concepts generated by various perspectives this year. This will provide a more versatile vision to our conference so that the participants can get the most of it.

MUNPlanet: IIMUN takes place at SDKM (Süleyman Demirel Cultural Center), which is located on ITU Ayazaga Campus. Tell as more about the venue and some interesting story about the campus.

It is located on the beautiful eco-friendly campus of Istanbul Technical University, one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Turkey. Besides being surrounded by a luscious green environment, our participants will have a chance to take a closer look at university life in Turkey.

MUNPlanet: IIMUN 2016 is going to host approximately 400 delegates. By our standards, that is a large conference. How many committees will you be simulating and do you have your favorites?

We will be simulating 4 General Assembly committees and 4 Specialized Agencies. Personally, two of my favorite committees are International Court of Justice and the Special Committee, which will be based on the TV series “Doctor Who”.

MUNPlanet: What values does IIMUN strive to embody?

IIMUN strives to embody global awareness, unite diverse visions and come up solutions for the major problems of the today’s world. We give the participants a chance to be heard by others, merge their resolutions regarding the world agenda and debate them altogether to come to a conclusion. IIMUN not only provides the infrastructure for the participants to create solutions, but also urges and encourages all participants to increase the applicability of these solutions and take necessary actions.

MUNPlanet: IIMUN is the conference with truly international character considering that delegates come from all around the world. In your opinion, how big of a role does the international character play in a quality of a certain conference?

It provides participants an opportunity to perceive the issues from a different perspective as well as assisting them to see how in the end, we all are more alike than different. It’s never completely possible to leave who you are when you are representing a different country so that’s why it is so special to find someone who is actually from the country you represent. Learning beyond research is the best possible outcome we could ever hope for at IIMUN.

MUNPlanet: Similar to the previous question, what are others characteristics that make one MUN conference great?

We believe that having the right team and the spirit are the building blocks of an MUN conference. But of course all of that would be for nothing if there wasn’t anyone to participate. Without enthusiasm, nobody would feel the sincerity of the work. So, it is an essential point to feel that delegates are excited about what you are working on. Our dedicated Executive Team members are formed from a group of exactly those kind of people.

MUNPlanet: Preparation is the key for having the best MUN experience. Having the first-timers in mind, how do you help them prepare and get most out of experience?

We are all aware that the beginning of everything is a little difficult and sometimes it can be nerve wracking especially in MUN. We can fully understand what that feels like so we encourage the first timers to believe in themselves and feel free to express their opinions by participating in debates. We, as Team IIMUN, provide an accepting atmosphere for them where they won’t feel intimidated but instead, feel supported and encouraged to participate even if they make mistakes.

MUNPlanet: MUN is, without a doubt, a very good addition to every student’s formal education. What are, in your opinion, the most significant skills that can be gained this way?

In an MUN conference, you get to learn how to be more confident on stage while talking to a crowd and to hone your interests as you gain more experience. Last but not the least, you become more aware of the world you are currently living in which builds empathy, the cornerstone of progress.

MUNPlanet: How do you see the future of MUNs? How do you see Model UNs developing in the years to come?I think they are educating high school students who will be the future leaders of this world in a way that makes them consider every field. Every year, MUN conferences get bigger and bigger and students from all around the world get to be more mature for at least a few days and they see how to make big plans and be more serious. So MUNs are the tools for our future and the better they are, the better future we’ll have. Many see creativity as an important tool for progress, so we think that more conferences will begin to integrate fantasy or special committees into their committee line-up.

MUNPlanet: How do you see new technologies, especially online communities such as MUNPlanet, changing Model United Nations landscape in the coming years?

There should definitely be more of those types of conferences because it’s easier for MUN conferences to reach loads of people from all around the world. Many of the conferences today have become so expensive to attend that it definitely excludes a large number of participants. Online conferences eliminate this expense and allows them to be more inclusive. Only when we hear from everyone can we create unity and make the world a better place. Additionally, technology allows us to make more connections out of the days we spend at Model UN conferences. So, online communities such as MUNPlanet are great tools for having international conferences and reaching out to more people worldwide.

MUNPlanet: Tell us, in short, what is one impression that you would like your delegates leave the conference with?

If delegates leave IIMUN with greater awareness of what’s happening in the world outside of own bubbles, our conference would then be considered a success.

MUNPlanet: Any final remarks?

We hope every participant will feel how much we want their experience to be one that they’ll remember forever. We do everything possible to make their journey at IIMUN a great one. We may not be perfect, but we care about each and every delegate and we go over every detail so we don’t miss anything. We want to create memories that they’ll carry with them always.

MUNPlanet: Thank you for devoting your time to MUN Spotlight and telling us more about you and your MUN. MUNPlanet is looking forward to your conference and strongly advises all MUNers to check it out. Good luck on your conference!